Wisconsin Congressman Tom Tiffany sustained minor injuries after the small plane he was traveling in made an emergency landing on Lake Wausau and began to submerge, forcing him and the pilot to swim to safety.
The incident occurred Saturday night when the aircraft encountered a mechanical issue as it approached Wausau Downtown Airport. Tiffany, who is also the Republican nominee for governor of Wisconsin, stated on social media that he and the pilot called 911 after landing.
"As the plane began to submerge, we exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area, where we waited until emergency responders reached us by boat," Tiffany said. The pilot also sustained minor injuries.
The Marathon County Sheriff's office received a report of a plane crash on the lake at approximately 8:49 p.m. local time. An airboat from the Wausau Fire Department rescued Tiffany and the pilot from the shallow water around 15 minutes later. The pair were the only occupants of the single-engine Beechcraft K35.
Tiffany was returning from a dinner in La Crosse County when the plane lost power, according to his account. He expressed gratitude for his survival, noting the preciousness of life. His campaign stated he received a small cut over his right eye.
The cause of the mechanical failure is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. Emergency crews are working to remove the plane from the lake.